Confessions
by CandyStars121
Summary: For the Revolution Redux Challenge: Prompt- Charlie's in the cage with Monroe. Connor's whored out...
1. Chapter 1

It had been hours since Gould had dumped the three of them in the cage after their plan to obtain the diamonds to pay Duncan for the mercenaries went up in smoke. Charlie sat leaning up against the metal fencing, still chilled by the cool night air. The only thing left for her to do was think about their predicament and watch the slow rise and fall of Monroe's chest as he remained sprawled out on the dirt on the other side of the cage. She had tried to sleep after Gould and his men had come and hauled Connor back out of the cage, but it was useless.

Although she wondered where he had been taken and what Gould had planned for him, she would be lying if she said she wasn't grateful that they had left just her and Monroe here in the cage. Once they had been brought in and the gate locked behind them, Connor just would not shut up and she quickly found herself wishing the men had knocked him out instead of Monroe.

Sitting there now, she found herself trying to mentally will him to wake. She had seen him knocked out before but it had never taken this long for him to come back around and part of her was beginning to wonder if he ever would. They had rather effectively knocked him upside the head with a metal pipe and Charlie knew from her time with Maggie that head injuries were tricky things. Hit someone just the right way and they would be lost forever. She fought to keep those thoughts away, choosing instead to focus on his shallow breathing and thinking of how he wouldn't be laying there at all if he hadn't been distracted by Connor. No, this capture was definitely not part of the plan.

In truth, she couldn't help but wish that Miles had never revealed that he knew where Connor was. Ever since they had come back from Mexico with Connor in tow, things with Monroe had changed. It seemed to her like Connor's very presence had everything going haywire. The bond that she had started to form with Monroe since their first trip to Willoughby from New Vegas was strained, and Monroe was becoming even more distant from the group than he had been before. She didn't miss the hushed conversations between the two of them that would abruptly end when one of them were near. And part of her was becoming more and more worried that he had planned on taking off with Connor and letting the rest of them fend for themselves against the patriots.

It's part of the reason she had insisted on coming on this little trip in the first place, knowing that if she went, he'd have no choice but to come back. The other part, her hope that being with him away from her family would give her the space she desperately needed to figure out what all these feelings she had in regards to Monroe actually meant. She wasn't even sure when her feelings towards him had started to shift, hatred to respect, respect to want, want to need. Sometimes it was all just too much for her to process. Somehow through all of it, she had managed to forgive him for his part in the deaths of her loved ones.

Now, though she would deny it if asked, she couldn't imagine her life without Monroe being a central part of it. He has become someone that she could even depend on. He always came back. Even when Miles had focused all of his time and energy on her mother and Charlie felt as though she was being left behind, Monroe was always there reminding her that she still had him. The more time they spent together, training, fighting, bantering back and forth as if they had been friends for years, the more she wanted to be around him. Then Connor happened. She thought screwing him was a great idea at the time. She had no feelings for the guy aside from irritation at taking her place in Monroe's world so she didn't have to worry about forming any kind of attachment to him. Sleeping with him would be the next best thing to sleeping with Monroe himself, and in some way she felt like she was getting back at Monroe for whatever was obviously going down with Duncan after he shoved her and Connor out of the negotiations, telling them to take some to see the sights. 'See the sights', yeah, she saw them alright and wasn't impressed.

Then he had caught them after doing the deed. Okay so maybe that bit had been planned. But she certainly hadn't expected his reaction to be quite so severe. She thought back to the look on his face when he spoke to her afterwards. She knew he was pissed but there was something else there. Disappointment…..hurt even. She couldn't figure out why he had reacted that way.

Charlie groaned loudly putting her head in her hands and scrubbing at her face, trying to force herself to forget the kicked puppy look he had on his face and the way he reverted to calling her Charlotte immediately after.

Monroe startled awake, looking around him quickly to try and get his bearings.

"Rise and shine" he heard her call out, sarcasm dripping from the words. Putting his hand on the back of his head assessing the rather large knot that had formed there from where Gould's men had knocked him out, he turned to his left to see Charlie smirking at him.

"Not funny, Charlotte" he said, scowling at her.

"Oh, come on Monroe, we've upgraded...at least this time we're not tied up and forced to stand."

"Yes, because a cage is much better accommodations than a drained swimming pool. At least in that scenario we could actually escape from being tied up. Here….we've got fencing surrounding us and the fucking muppets guarding us" he glared at the scrawny guy with fiery red hair standing by the entrance of the cage who responded with a look of his own while puffing out his chest and trying to make himself appear more formidable.

"Would you listen to that!" Charlie laughed "Finally using a pre-blackout reference I understand." She stood, wiping the back of her jeans with her hands and moving to stand in front of the guard in question. "He kinda does look like Elmo, doesn't he?"

When she didn't get a response, she looked over her shoulder to find Monroe scratching his head and looking like he was trying to figure something out. Turning to him she crossed her arms and plastered a big cheesy looking grin on her face. "Something wrong?"

"Uh, yeah...where the hell is Connor?"

At that Charlie let out a good laugh and started clapping her hands. "Wow, Monroe, I'm impressed. It only took you, what, twenty minutes to realize your kid is missing. Really working on that father of the year award, aren't you?"

"You think this is all very humorous, don't you Charlotte?"

"The situation, no….you on the other hand, immensely."

He stood there staring at her, his face completely void of emotion. He wasn't entirely sure how to react to her oddly chipper mood in light of being locked up once again with someone she clearly hates. There was a while there where he thought perhaps they were past things and were, if not becoming friends, at least coming to a mutual understanding in their partnership. And that's exactly what Charlie was was to him...his partner. Not in all the ways he would have liked, but in fighting that was exactly what he considered her. She was in every way his equal. He had her back, and she had his, and more and more he found himself not longing for the days when it had been Miles at his side.

Sure the two of them had been thrown together most of the time for no other reason than Miles' inability to detach himself from Rachel, but now, he was glad. Fighting next to his Charlotte he was beginning to feel more comfortable than he had even with Miles. Oh, who the hell was he kidding, she wasn't his Charlotte. Never would be. Even if seeing that brand on her wrist did spark a sense of possessiveness in him, he knew the reality was that she would never feel the same way about him as he did about her. She would never realize that even if she wasn't his...he was wholly and completely hers. Even catching her screwing Connor didn't change that fact.

She held her hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, geez, Gould pulled him out a couple hours after we all got tossed in here."

Of course! Now not only did he have to worry about trying to get Charlie safely out of here and back to Miles, but he had to figure out where the hell they took Connor, and try and get him out too. One escape was one thing...two in the same day, that was going to be a stretch even for him without more backup than Charlie.

He strolled up to her, placing himself just few inches away from her. "And you, what, didn't think to stop them?" He knew it was unrealistic to think there was anything she could have done to stop them, but he found it a little unnerving that she wasn't more bothered by her boy toy being dragged away.

"Yeah Monroe, because there's a whole lot I can do by myself with no weapons, against Gould and four of his men. Maybe if you hadn't been so thoroughly enjoying your little nap we could have done something about it."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

She rolled her eyes. "Nothing, nevermind."

"So do you even know where they took him?" he narrowed his eyes and glared at her.

"Nope" she responded, making sure to pop the p in a show of true Matheson dramatics.

"Well, that's just fucking great Charlotte. Did you get any useful information at all. Like what exactly they're planning on doing with us?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing other than Gould saying he had 'something special' planned for us, which could mean anything."

"Oh and something special it is" Gould drawled out strutting his way up to the gate. "General Sebastian Monroe….oh how the mighty have fallen. And Miss Matheson." He glanced over at Charlie with a smirk while lacing his fingers through the metal.

If he had something sharp and pointy he would have jabbed it in the bastards eyes for he way he was looking Charlie up and down like she was a piece of meat.

"Alright Gould, enough with the games, what do you plan on doing with us? And where the hell is my kid?" he was quickly losing his patience with the man.

"You're son...well, now he has just made an excellent addition to my list of, how should I put it...escorts"

"You've gotta be kidding me Gould, you're whoring out my kid!?" the thought made him laugh which Gould seemed to find amusing judging by the look on his face.

"Oh yeah, you should be proud, he fetches a good price. Who knew so many ladies wanted a go with a Monroe." he said, pointedly looking at Charlie who threw her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes.

Monroe didn't miss the quick glare she shot in his direction just daring him to say something. In truth he wanted to say something. Confront her about it, but it certainly wasn't something he was going to bring up in front of Gould, especially when they had more important things to worry about the moment.

"As for you two….you're little failed heist just gave me the opportunity to become a very wealthy man. I mean opportunities like these don't come along every day so you've.."

He was interrupted when Monroe slammed his hand against the fencing near Gould's face. "Get to the fucking point, Gould"

"Well what kind of fool would I be to pass on the chance to profit off the well known ill will between Matheson and Monroe? Which by the way is clearly a crock of shit looking at the two of you. You really are a dysfunctional bunch aren't you?"

At that Charlie laughed and came up to stand beside Monroe. "And how do you plan on making this profit exactly?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.

Gould's seemingly permanent smirk became a wide grin as he glanced back and forth between the two of them.

Monroe lowered his head, shaking it as he spoke low "He's gonna make us fight."

"Oh, yes, but not just a fight General" he said with a chuckle "A fight to the death. Only one of you will be leaving that cage alive."


	2. Chapter 2

"And remember," Gould continued, "make it entertaining. These people are paying good money, they want a good show. Don't even think about throwing the match, cause I'll kill ya both just for the fun of it"

Charlie stiffened at the words she was hearing, even as Monroe continued to argue it out with him. She could hardly focus on what he was saying.

"What the hell Gould!? You're gonna make me go up against a woman? And you know this is never gonna work, you do realize this is not THAT Matheson, right?"

He shrugged his shoulders "Yeah, well, the names alone will bring in the crowds...no one needs to know it's not that Matheson until fight time. And I'm pretty sure they'll still find it entertaining."

His maniacal laughter sent a shiver down her spine forcing her to tune them out after that. She didn't want to hear any more. It was clear when Monroe had laid out the plan to them that it was a bad idea and she wasn't sure why he was doing it. It wasn't like him. His strategies were usually well planned out but this….this was like he was just trying to get it over with and get out of town. But, there's nothing stopping him once he gets something in his head so they had no choice but to go with it. They needed the men. And if that was what was going to get them the diamonds needed to get them, then that's what they were going to do

Even knowing the possibility that the plan could go wrong and that they could get caught, she never expected the punishment to be this severe. It's not as if Gould hadn't recovered his diamonds.

So this was it. This was where she would die. Certainly something she never saw coming, not this soon at least. She had been honest with Connor when she had told him that they wouldn't survive the year, but she had expected to go out in a heated battle against the patriots. This just felt all wrong to her. It didn't even phase her that Monroe would be the one to end her. Spending so many months fighting with him against the patriots she was well aware of his skills with a sword and knew that even on her best day, she would never be able to defeat Sebastian Monroe. Not that it mattered, even if she did have the ability to, she would have to let him win. When it came down to it, she knew that the survival of the rest of her family depended on Monroe going up against the patriots with them. If there was one person that had to get out of there alive and back to Willoughby, it was him.

She shuddered at the thought. Here she was about to die to save a man who less than a year ago she had tried to kill. But maybe this could be an opportunity for her as well. There was an almost feeling of freedom in knowing that you would die soon. She could finally admit out loud to him that she had feelings for him, that she forgives him for his part in her losses. This was something that she could give to the one person who for months now, had been a constant in her life. He could go on with his life, fighting the patriots to save her family, while knowing that there was someone who could see past his mistakes and failures and forgive him, love him even. It would all be without consequence to her since she would soon be gone, but maybe if he knew she forgave him, then he could begin to forgive himself. She wanted that for him more than anything else.

Her biggest regret now….not saying something sooner. Maybe if she had, and he felt the same way, she could have had at least a moment of happiness before death.

A strained laugh escaped her as it occurred to her that it only took the prospect of impending death for her to sort through those feelings that she had been thinking about earlier. It was clear to her now...she was in love with him. All those thoughts she had about Duncan, and Connor, and even about Miles when Bass would talk about him with such a smile on his face, had all just been jealousy getting the best of her.

His clammy, calloused hands clamped down on her upper arms, giving away his nerves. She could register that he was speaking to her, but was completely lost in her own thoughts. There was no real reason for him to be nervous that she could see.

Sure, Rachael would be pissed, but that would be nothing new...she already blamed him for anything and everything wrong in her life. But it would be mostly a bunch of hot air, since Charlie knew that her mother didn't feel the same kind of motherly love and devotion to her that she had to Danny, and probably wouldn't make near as big a stink about her death as she had his.

Miles, yep, Miles would be the one who cared the most. Even if he had been wrapped up in Rachel land ever since the tower she knew without a doubt that he loved her and would give anything for her to be happy and safe somewhere away from all of this. But even Miles was practical. He would see it for what it was. A strategic decision that had to be made. Hell, even Miles couldn't have talked his way out of this had he been there. He would forgive Bass, and he would fight even harder against the patriots.

She was snapped out of her thoughts as he gently shook her, trying to capture her attention.

"Charlotte…..Charlotte, look at me"

She did, pulling back out of his grasp and snapping at him "WHAT?"

"Where the hell were you? I've been trying to talk to you for the past ten minutes and you're just staring off into space."

Not entirely sure she was ready to go into all of her thoughts at the moment, she only responded with a simple "It's okay" and then turned to walk away from him. Not that she could get very far being trapped in that cage with him, but she was desperate for a few more minutes to process everything.

Of course, Bass was Bass, and if he wanted to talk to her that's what he was going to do. He reached out his hand, wrapped it firmly around her elbow and yanked her around to face him. Pulling her impossibly close to his chest. Making it increasingly more difficult for her to breathe or even think straight.

"What's okay?" he asked, searching her eyes as if he expected that he would only find the answer there.

She tried to step back from him to get some distance, but that only made his grip even tighter.

"It's okay that you have to kill me. That's the only option here."

Her response was met with what she could only think of as the first honest laugh she'd ever heard out of the man. She loved the sound of it, wishing that there had been more occasions where she could have heard it although she wasn't sure how to respond. Part of her wanted to laugh right along with him, the other thought she should be offended that he was laughing at her.

Instead she smiled wryly at him, shrugging her shoulders, about to ask him why he was laughing at her but as she opened her mouth she was silenced by him placing a finger over her lips.

"Charlotte, I'm not going to kill you. And if you really think that I could ever do that, then you don't know me nearly as well as I thought you did."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: My sincerest apologies for taking so damn long to update. I've been dealing with a major crapstorm with my family, and lost my writing mojo for a while there...fortunately it seems to be back. I can't promise super frequent updates because I'm without internet at home until we get moved into our new place, but I'll be doing my best to get at least 1 chapter per week posted until it's complete.

Charlie was clearly taken by surprise at his words and he released her, allowing her to resume her place on the ground where he found her when he woke up. She takes a long look at him before sighing and closing her eyes while her head relaxes back against the cage wall. Looking at her, he was once again drawn to how beautiful she was. And the fact that she didn't even try made her even more so.

He couldn't believe that this girl in front of him would have ever seen him killing her as an option no matter what situation they were in. There was something in her eyes though, before she had said the words. He couldn't be sure, but it was as if she was completely okay with it. Like she had accepted her fate. It's something he just couldn't mesh with the Charlotte he had come to know and love. That Charlotte was a fighter and would never give in that easily. Especially knowing that it would be him to do it, she should have been ready to rip someone's head off.

It really bothered him that she would think like that, and he wasn't sure how she could have spent so much time around him and not seen how deeply he cared about her.

But maybe this would be exactly what they needed. They had a day and a half of waiting before the death match. And while he knew that he was going to have to make sure she could take him out without making it look like he let her win, that could wait until tomorrow. For the rest of today and tonight, maybe the could finally have a talk that was long overdue and at the end of it all, Charlie would have what she always wanted and needed. Closure and revenge for everything he had taken away from her. He was happy at the thought of finally being able to give that to her. Truth be told, if he had to die at the hands of someone else, there wasn't anyone he'd rather have do it. It helped him to know that her face would be the last thing he saw. He was hoping for now though that he could get her to open up to him. Chances were slim but he knew he had to try anyway. Their talk would have to wait though, as by the time he made his way over to Charlie, she had dozed off, clearly exhausted from having stayed up keeping watch over him while he was knocked out. He made note to himself to thank her for it later.

He wasn't lacking for company though as not more than a few minutes after she had fallen asleep one of Gould's minions came up to the cage, dragging a rather irritated looking Connor in cuffs behind him. If it weren't for the fact that this could very well be the last chance he would get to speak to his son, he would have laughed at Connor's predicament.

Hell, if he really thought about it, he wanted to laugh at the whole damn thing. It was like one of those really weird twisted dreams...the ones you know aren't real, but can't seem to make yourself wake up from. Because really, none of it made any sense. If Gould was going to whore someone out, it seemed like the more likely option would be Charlie, and he would have to fight Connor. Not that he'd ever want that for her, and this situation was the better of the two options, but there was still something nagging at him telling him that this little plan of Gould's was more than just having a Matheson fight a Monroe. He just wasn't seeing it yet, but he was sure as hell going to figure out what it was.

Once Connor's cuffs had been removed, and he was shoved roughly into the cage, a tray containing three rock hard rolls and some dried meat were tossed in behind him. Bass walked up him, gripping him on the shoulder "you okay?"

"Yeah Dad, I'm fucking great, just love being sold around like I'm a two bit floozy. Tell me again why I left Mexico?"

He glared at his son "you know why, Connor."

"Oh, right, right...the Republic. We're supposed to be getting the republic back. I'm guessing this wasn't part of the plan then?"

"Don't be a smart ass, you know it wasn't." Bass grabbed the tray of food off the ground, and walked to the opposite side of the cage where Charlie was sleeping, motioning for Connor to follow. Once they were sitting and picking at the meat that had been provided to them, Connor pointed over at Charlie.

"What the hell's up with her?"

"What do you mean? She stayed up all night keeping an eye on me until I woke up from being knocked out...she's tired." Connor tore off a piece of his roll and chucked it at her and Bass whacked him upside the head with the back of his hand "Hey, leave her the hell alone."

Connor turned and stared at him, narrowing his eyes "why do you care? Better yet, what the hell is going on with both of you?"

Bass rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he popped another bite in his mouth. "I don't know what you're talking about"

Connor laughed before responding. "So I guess she didn't tell you what happened last night. How I ended up being an expensive play toy and she ended up in here with you."

"Yeah, she said that we were all put in here and that Gould came and got you out, why?"

"Oh, I see, so she edited it. Somehow that doesn't surprise me."

"Then what's the real story?" He was curious now, it wasn't like Charlie to not be completely forthcoming about things, in fact, sometimes she was a little too honest. It was one of the things he liked most about her. At his age, he'd had enough of bullshit and he didn't have to worry about getting that from her.

"Well, you and I got caught, they knocked you out and brought us in here. Maybe an hour later, they pulled up with her shackled to wagon and tossed her in here too...talking about getting things ready and getting her cleaned up and something decent to wear because no one would want to pay for her looking like that" he nodded his head toward Charlie.

"She had been hovering over you since she got in here, checking where they hit you or whatever, kept saying something about head injuries being bad. When they came back in to get her she wouldn't let them move her. Guess she had a knife hidden in her boot or God knows where but she pulled it on them and said she wasn't leaving you and that they'd have to kill her first. They managed to get it away from her, but not before she managed to stab one of Gould's guys in the leg. Then one of them got the crazy idea that if they grabbed me and threatened to take me that she'd comply..." he trailed off laughing "yeah, not even that worked, she still wasn't budging"

Bass didn't respond to anything he was saying. He was completely perplexed by it all. Charlotte, putting herself on the line for him? It would have been a lot easier for her to escape if she wasn't locked in the cage. She had a chance to get out and run back to Miles and her mom and she didn't. Yep, this was definitely like a freaky dream. He kept his eyes trained on the girl across from them, and the slow, steady rise and fall of her chest.

Connor wasn't letting it go at his explanation, and Bass could tell that he was irritated that Charlie had essentially chosen him over Connor. He grabbed the tray of food out of Bass' lap before continuing. "You know, it doesn't make any sense. For someone who claims to hate you, she as hell was awfully concerned about you last night. Kinda makes me wonder why she was so determined to screw me while you were off making the deal for those mercenaries when she obviously doesn't give a shit about me."

He wondered that himself, even when he caught them together he was more surprised than anything since she had shown little more than annoyance at Connor's presence since they had brought him back from Mexico. And now with this new information about last night, he was even more curious about what was going on in her head.

Bass refused to play into whatever argument Connor was trying to stir up and when he finally got the hint that he wasn't going to get it he seemed to abandon it for more important matters.

"So, what's your plan? I know Gould's going to have you two fight...she should be easy enough to take out. She's good, but she's not that good" Connor chuckled as he nudged him in the arm with his elbow.

"You do realize it's a fight to the death, right?" Bass asked, thinking that Connor must not know it was if he was suggesting taking down Charlie.

"Yeah, and the one that wins walks out of here. Which means you have to take her out" he shrugged.

At this point, Bass was really starting to get concerned with where Connor's head was at. He knew that the sole reason for his returning with them was to get the Republic back, but at the expense of Charlie's life, it almost scared him to think that he was looking at a mirror image of himself from not all that long ago. Back when he was General Monroe, he would have thought nothing of taking her or anyone else out if it meant winning and getting what he wanted. Now though, things for him had changed. He saw what that life brought him. And while, bringing the Republic back was part of the plan, it wasn't meant as a way to get back to being that person. He truly wanted this time to be different, and had imagined Connor, Miles and Charlie all at the finish line when they did it. They'd take out the patriots and put in place a better system than they had even come up with the first time around...with their whole little rag-tag family together keeping each other in line.

"Connor...I'm not getting out of this alive."

Immediately, Connor opened his mouth to object, but Bass held his hand up, silencing him before he continued.

"I know you want the Republic. And you can still have that. Miles is still out there fighting these patriot sons of bitches, and Charlie won't give up either. When they're finally taken down, some form of government will have to take its place, and that's where the Republic comes in. The three of you can rebuild it together. Make it what it was supposed to be the first time around. But I want you to remember one thing, if you remember nothing else I've told you...the Republic isn't everything. I've clawed and killed my way to the front of the pack, and when I got there it didn't mean a damn thing, because I was alone." He turned to look at Connor in the eyes, and he could feel the tears welling up in his own but tried hard to keep them from escaping. He needed him to take him seriously.

"I don't want that for you. Find yourself a girl...not Charlie. Have kids, don't be alone. A family will hold you together...will keep you from becoming the monster I was. Miles, and Charlie...hell even Rachel as crazy as she is, is part of that family. You protect them above everything else. Can you do that for me?"

Connor looked back at him, tears in his own eyes, as he nodded. "Yeah, I can do that."


	4. Chapter 4

Charlie groaned as she straightened her neck, only noticing as an afterthought that it didn't hurt nearly as bad as it should have with the position she had been sleeping in. Finally opening her eyes, she looked over to her right, surprised to find Bass there, staring back at her. She wasn't sure when, but at some point while she was out, he must have come over and let her use his shoulder as a pillow. It was a sweet gesture and she was grateful for it.

As he looked at her, his eyes darkened just slightly and he glanced down at her lips. For the briefest moment, she thought he was going to kiss her, but it quickly passed as he looked back up into her eyes and she found only a hardness there. He was closed off. Where they could normally have an entire conversation without words, there was nothing flowing between them now.

"We need to talk, Charlotte."

Rolling her eyes and laying her head back against the fence, she wished she could force herself back to sleep. This was not a conversation she was looking forward to having with him. She had already heard it once, having only been pretending to sleep before Connor was brought in. Even then she wanted to get up and smack him for just thinking about sacrificing himself for her. But then had heard the rest...him telling Connor to find someone other than her to start a life with, that her and Miles were family and making him promise to protect them. Eventually she had let herself drift off to sleep when their conversation had turned to stories of Bass as a kid, and how him and Emma met.

But even in her dreams, she couldn't escape it. Images flashing through her mind of Bass' plan playing out. Her killing him and going back to Miles and her mom, fighting the Patriots with Connor by her side instead of him. Even the dream version of herself had been miserable. Miles was understanding, saying that she did what she had to, Rachel being gleefully proud of her for finally getting revenge against the man who killed her son, and Connor sticking to her like glue, never allowing her a moments peace...all while she threw herself into battle after battle, almost begging for the end to come. Because while everyone else seemed to go on with their lives as if Bass never existed...there was one thing she was sure of, she didn't want to live in a world where he didn't.

"I'm not doing it, Bass" she said without looking at him, hoping to hide the tears that were welling up in her eyes as she thought of the dream she had.

"Really, Charlotte?" Bass asked incredulously, "_Now _you're going to call me by my first name?"

She hadn't noticed that she had even done it, not that she minded that she did. If anything it was just further proof of how her feelings for him had shifted.

"Yeah, I am" she said, turning to look at him "maybe now you'll take me seriously when I tell you I'm not going to kill you"

"You have to, Charlie, you don't have a choice. I won't kill you, and if you won't kill me, well then Gould is just going to kill both of us...and that accomplishes, other than letting him win."

Charlie stayed silent, staring out at the darkening sky as the sun slipped below the horizon, trying to figure out just what she wanted to say to him. To make him realize that she was right and that they had to do it her way.

"Maybe I'd prefer that outcome" she he as she pushed herself off the ground and walked across to the other side of the cage, where she could see the quickly growing crowds wandering from tent to tent...seeking money, sex and thrills. Briefly, she thought she saw one of Duncan's conversing with one of Gould's men that were on their watch duty, but brushed it off as nothing more than a coincidence when she felt Bass come up behind her.

"Are you sure you weren't the one hit in the head? What the hell are you talking about? How can you even think something like that?" He asked the questions in rapid succession as he turned her to face him.

"I...just...I'm not going to do it, okay...so either you're going to have to get over your sudden aversion to killing me, or accept that we're both going to be dead by tomorrow night. Because I'm not going to do it."

"Dammit Charlotte, yes you are" he said, grabbing her arm and dragging her to the center. He bent over and picked up two thin metal rods, forcing one into her hand "now, I'm going to show you just how easy this is going to be for you. It's something I've never told anyone. It's one of my only weaknesses...and all you have to do is take advantage of it, and it will be over."

"Your blind spot." Charlie stated with a nod, indicating she knew what he was referring to.

"Wait..." Bass looked at her with a confused expression "how the hell do you know about that, I just told you I never told anyone."

"You didn't have to" she shrugged "guess I'm just really observant. How did you not know that I knew, haven't you noticed that I always stay on your left when we're fighting together?"

"So, you're telling me that you've known this whole time how you could kill me without me even seeing it coming, and you didn't do it? Why?" He asked, closing the distance between them.

Charlie nearly shivered feeling his breath fan across her face, and looked down at he small gap between them, wishing more than anything that it wasn't there. Wishing that she could just grab him, and hold on, and that they could just pretend that none of this was happening. That he would tell her they were going to get out of this alive. Because as much as she accepted the fact that she would die tomorrow night, she wasn't ready to say goodbye to the man in front of her.

Without much thought she spit out her typical response, her voice void of emotion. "Because, we need you to fight the Patriots."

"Bullshit." Bass said, hooking a finger under her chin and forcing her to look at him. Then, he spoke in a whisper. "I don't believe you, Charlotte. Look me in the eye and tell me that's the only reason."

"I..." Charlie started, but the words got caught in her throat. She knew what she wanted to tell him. Everything, just like she planned. But being in the moment to do it, she suddenly felt like a school girl with her first crush on a boy. Not at all like the independent and completely in control woman she thought she was now.

The torches that had been lit as the sky descended further into darkness, weren't anywhere near them, and yet it felt as though they were right next to her, burning her skin. As she locked eyes with him, she noticed that some of the guard he had up earlier had come down, though not all the way. Now, she could at least see something there. There was so much emotion in the way he was looking at her, and she thought maybe...just maybe, he wouldn't be so surprised at her revelation. Maybe, he'd even have one of his own to offer. She took a deep breath, "I can't do that. Because it's not the only reason."

An amused smirk crossed his face, as his hand moved and his thumb caressed her cheek. "I didn't think so. So, what's the other reason?"

When she didn't respond he moved in closer. His body, now pressed against hers completely, his lips hovering just over her lips barely brushing them. "Do you like me, Charlotte?" He asked, placing a light kiss just next to her mouth.

"Yes" the word was breathy and nearly cracked as it came from her. Her brain was firing off a million different thoughts at once as his nose grazed further up her face towards her ear. One part of it, wanting to laugh because of the circumstances. Here they were, one of them facing certain death in the next 24 hours and Sebastian Monroe was dissolving her into a puddle of want. Another part of her screaming that she hated Gould for putting them in here where they were being watched and she couldn't just rip his clothes off like she wanted to. Still another part of her saying she wanted to take everything she could get from him before it was over.

He placed another kiss to her jaw, whispering once again "Do you want me, Charlotte."

"Mmhmm" she responded, not trusting her voice to not betray just how much that was true. Hell, Bass was doing more for her, just barely touching than having sex with Connor did just yesterday. What did that say for her...or better yet, what did that say for him.

Next, he placed a kiss just below her ear. "Do you know what I want, Charlotte?"

She was about to say yes before the change in question had fully registered in her head. Furrowing her brows she pulled away from him, just enough to look in his eyes.

"No, what do you want?"

"I want to kiss you, Charlotte. I've wanted to kiss you since the day you stood up in front of that gun, demanding to die in place of your brother. You are beautiful, and brave, and loyal, and fierce. Despite everything that's happened to you, a lot of it at my hands, you still try to see the best in everyone...in me. You, Charlotte, are an enigma. You confuse the hell out of me, and a lot of the time, you drive me completely crazy. Dammit, I know this sounds crazy, but Charlotte...I love you. I'm pretty sure I love you more than I've ever loved anyone in my life. More than Emma and Shelley, more than Miles, or hell...even my own son. After the tower, when I found out about Philly being nuked, I didn't care about living anymore, the end couldn't come soon enough. Then you come barreling into this God forsaken town and flip everything upside down...you made me want to live. You gave me something to fight for. I wish...I wish that I could tell you that everything was going to be fine, and that I would get us out of this. I'd take you some place so far away from all this crap and fighting and bullshit and give you the life you deserve, if you'd let me. I know I'm the last person in the world who deserves anything from you Charlotte, but you need to do this for me...I need you to be the one to walk out of here. Because, there is no way I could ever die in peace without knowing you will go on living. That you will have a chance to be happy, a chance to get back the life that was stolen from you."

Charlie stood there for several minutes in stunned silence. She wanted to smack him...if for nothing other than bringing up the fact that she needed to kill him and nearly ruining a perfect speech. But mostly, she was so over the moon happy, she couldn't even speak. Those were the words she never in a million years expected to hear from him, and until he said them, she wasn't even sure that she had wanted to hear them. But now that he had, there was only one thing left to do.

"You done with your confession?" she asked, her lips turning up into a smirk.

"Yeah, I think so" he nodded.

"Good" she nodded back "Well, what are you waiting for, an invitation? Kiss me already"

As soon as the words had left her lips they both dropped the metal rods they were supposed to be sparring with in nearly perfect synchronization, and his lips were on hers. It wasn't rushed, or heated. It was slow, and gentle. One of his arms around her waist, the other on the back of her neck as his thumb brushed over her jaw...her arms, linked behind his neck, holding him to her. Both of them trying to convey all the built up feelings and emotions they had held back from each other for too long. And now, it was nearly too late. They would never get to see where this could go, he would never get to take her away from it all. But there was one thing she was absolutely sure of...no first kiss had ever, or would ever compare to this.

When she finally pulled back, they stared in each others eyes, breathless. She was happy to now see that his eyes were once again clear, every single thought she could read there...he was now an open book to her, more so than she had ever seen before. It only reinforced for her that every word he spoke was true.

She smiled at him. "By the way, I love you too."


	5. Chapter 5

I could give you all a thousand apologies for being gone so long, and it would never be enough. Plain and simple, I got pissed when Revolution got cancelled. It took a while to get over it. I think I've finally accepted that the only way Revolution will live on is in the world of fan fiction, so I'm just going to get back to it.

This chapter pretty much wraps up the story at this point, though I have an epilogue still to go. I hope you will all be pleased with it.

I'm working on a chapter for All of Me this week, and will soon be posting the first chapter to a rather long story, currently titled 'Family Ties' which I've been working on for the better part of the last year as I could find the time. It's over half written, but will edit as I go and post a chapter each week, so I hope those of you that are fans of no-blackout AU's will stick around for that.

* * *

Hearing those words from Charlie, words he never in a million years could have imagined hearing from her clenched at his heart. This girl, no, this beautiful woman loved him. His eyes frantically searched hers and all he found there was all the love he felt for mirrored there. He hated Gould for putting them in this predicament, but he hated himself even more. For waiting, for missing his chance at having a life with her, for not saying all of this months earlier. God, if only he hadn't been so damn stupid.

They stared at each other intensely, their silent conversation speaking words that they would never have the time to say. Wishes and dreams that were being taken away from them. He caressed her face with his thumbs, memorizing every inch of the silky skin there as the air around them seemed to get thicker...heavy with emotion and built up tension.

When their lips came back together it was raw and hungry and desperate. Teeth clashing, tongues dueling. He couldn't help but think that they kiss like they fight, and he had no doubt that making love to Charlotte would have been the same. Both of them giving as good as they got. It pained him to think he would never get to experience that, and ripped his heart to shreds to think that she would move on without him and have that with someone else.

Someone elses hands on her, touching her skin, her nails digging into their skin, not his. It made him reach for her hips pulling her impossibly closer to him. He wanted to claim her, mark her, make her his own. He could feel Charlie pushing back on him and the second his back hit the wall of the fencing that surrounded them, he didn't hesitate to slide his hand down her thigh, hitching it up over his hip. He wanted her to feel him, feel what she did to him. The moan that slipped through her lips as the bulge straining against his jeans grinded against her center nearly shattering his resolve to not rip her clothes off and take her right there, not caring who was watching. God he wanted this woman, and he wanted her now. The only thing stopping him was knowing that she deserved more than a quick fuck against a fence in public. Even if he could never have her that way, he knew that just the knowledge that she wanted him as much as he wanted her would have to be enough.

They were lost in their own world, though he could vaguely hear what he thought was shouting and gunfire in the little seedy tent city behind him, he couldn't find it in him to care what was going on anywhere but there in that cage. He didn't care if the whole damn town burned around them, he wasn't about to waste a minute that he had left with her.

That was until she slid her hand from around his neck, gliding down over his neck and his stomach, every inch that it moved feeling as though it was leaving a scorching path in it's wake. When her hands found the button of his jeans, popping it open as she guided her hand inside, stroking it over his hardened shaft, two thoughts occurred to him...one, thank God for going commando and two, that he had to put on the brakes before things went too far. He may respect Charlie far too much for a public romp, but lets face it, he's still a man, and as a man he could only take so much before his need overtook any thoughts of modesty.

He pulled his mouth away from hers with a groan as she gripped him tighter, him tightening his grip on her ass in response. "Mmmm...fuck, Charlotte we have to stop." He could barely get the words out as he rested his forehead against hers. She shook her head, digging her fingers even harder into the curls at his nape as she brought her lips back to his...he could feel more than see the smirk there as they barely touched, her breathy whisper almost inaudible. "No we don't, Bass. I don't care where we are, or who's watching…" she paused, stroking him firmly again, forcing his head to drop back against the fence, steadying himself against the rush of pleasure shooting through him. He kept trying to remind himself why this was a horrible idea but was quickly losing the battle as she kissed and nipped at his neck.

"I'll do what you want, Bass, I'll...I'll…" he heard a strangled sob leave her as she tried to say the words and lifted his head to find her looking right at him, her big blue eyes boring into his as tears spilled over and tracked down her cheeks. Taking a deep breath as he released her leg from his hip and wiped her tears away, she struggled to continue. "I'll do what needs to be done, but I want this. Please Bass, I wouldn't care if this place was lit up for the whole world to see, I need you, I need to feel you inside of me at least once before you're gone." Her voice shook and cracked as she spoke the words. Each and every word, breaking his heart a little more.

Even if it hadn't, had he ever really been able to deny the girl anything? Fuck, he would find a way to lasso the moon if Charlotte said she wanted it. So as much as it went against everything in him wanting this to be perfect for her, he would give her this. It wouldn't be a bed, somewhere quiet, with candles lit around them, but it would be theirs. Their memory. Something he could die with, and something she could live with.

He leaned down and kissed away the few tears remaining, trailing kisses further down her neck as he reached for the hem of her tank top, sliding his hands up underneath it, trailing up her her sides. His thumbs brushed across her pert nipples and he could feel her trembling with each pass over the thin cotton fabric of her bra. She was so perfect, so responsive to his touch. He wanted his mouth on them, to swipe his tongue across her skin. He kissed over her chest down to the swell of her breasts, her chest heaving with each breath that she took as he moved his hands back down to remove at least one of the articles of clothing blocking his access.

Just as he was about to lift it over her chest, he heard the loud shriek and the voice that would undoubtedly be like a bucket of ice water to any sexual encounter, screaming at him...Rachel.

"Get your hands off of my daughter you sick bastard."

He and Charlie both instantly froze. As they locked their wide eyes on each other, their hands slowly moved to more respectable positions around each others waists. He was grateful as Charlie leaned into him slightly, covering where his open fly exposed him.

He had half expected her to bolt when they had both turned their heads to see not only Rachel, but also Miles, Connor, Duncan and two of her guys, standing there with the gate wide open, staring at them, all showing some form of shock or amusement...or in Rachel's case, just seething anger.

It hadn't really occurred to him what they would say to her family, hell, he never expected to have the opportunity to. But as he looked over at them, and back to Charlotte, he could see it in her eyes. The stubbornness and determination that he loved so much about her was there in full force. It was in that moment that he knew everything would be okay, that no matter what any of them said, she was with him, all the way. Barring of course the possibility of Miles killing him for just touching his niece. Though with the amused smirk plastered on his face, he didn't think that was likely. No, if anything, Miles didn't look even the slightest bit surprised.

Rachel was still ranting and raving when Charlie finally spoke up, ignoring her outrage.

"Uh, hey guys...took ya long enough."

Rachel stormed up to her, gripping her arm in her hand and he saw her wince at the contact. She glared at her mother, as she held on tighter, anchoring herself to him as Rachel tried to drag her away. Her anger dissipating in an instant as if a flip had been switched as she reached up to stroke Charlie's hair.

"Oh, sweetheart….my baby, what has he done to you?"

Charlie opened her mouth to speak but it was Miles voice that was heard instead, as he reached Rachel's side and yanked her away from Charlie. "Oh, shut up Rachel. I've tried to put up with your condescending bullshit where Charlie is concerned but enough is enough, she's an adult...you don't get to decide this for her." he practically growled at her.

Bass stood there looking back and forth between the two of them as Rachel's mouth dropped open at Miles' reproach. He couldn't believe that any of this was happening. This really had to be a dream of some kind. Charlie, loved him, was standing by him. Miles, was sticking up for him...even more that he was sticking up for him AND Charlie together. The gate was open, they were free...Connor was safe. Things just didn't go his way like this...there had to be some kind of a catch.

Miles walked over to them, his face serious as he looked at Charlie. "This really what you want, kid?"

Charlie smiled brightly, "yes, Miles...I love him."

Miles let out a huff and shook his head. "You and Bass, huh?" She nodded. "Well," he said looking over at Bass with a raised brow "can't say I understand it, but I'm not really surprised. I kinda saw this coming. But Bass, I'm telling you right now...hurt her, and I swear I won't hesitate to pull the trigger this time"

Before he could even say anything Rachel spoke up again. "You can't be serious, Miles, you can't let him do this. You can't let him take another one of my children from me. You need to end him, now. Don't you see, he's manipulated Charlie, he's manipulating you right now."

Miles rolled his eyes and shook his head, but it was Duncan who stepped up in front of her and with her most menacing voice, took Rachel to task. "Shut it bitch, this doesn't involve you, and last I checked you're the one responsible for putting all of this…" she waved her hands around, one of them still gripping her gun "into motion years ago, so if anyone is to blame for anything, it's you. Who the hell do you think you are denying anyone happiness in this world, least of all your own kid who you're supposed to love. I've known Bass a long time, Miles too, and they told me all about you and your little nano bag of tricks. You lady, are just one big ball of crazy and they would all be a lot better off without you."

Bass, Charlie and Miles, just stood there open mouthed, gaping at the scene in front of them. He and Miles did know Duncan well, enough to know that she was a woman of very few words. That speech had to be some kind of record for her.

Rachel turned and stormed off back through the gate, practically knocking Connor on his ass on her way out when Duncan turned to look at them.

"What?" she smiled, shrugging her shoulders "You planning on standing here all night, or can we head back to my camp and celebrate with some decent whiskey and food?"

The three of them nodded, snapping out of their momentary shock, and headed toward the gate. He was following behind Charlie, holding her hand when Duncan stopped him, her hand gripping onto his shoulder.

"Sebastian…" she smirked at him.

"Yeah?" he asked uncertainly, sure that he was about to find out this was all some kind of sick joke and that this was all in his head when she laughed.

She tilted her head, and pointed down. "You might want to put that away."

"Shit!" He exclaimed, realizing that his fly was still wide open and he was hanging loose, as everyone turned around at his sudden expletive and busted out laughing as he shoved himself back into place and zipped up.

He looked up at everyone, and couldn't stop himself from laughing right along with them. He shrugged his shoulders. "What? I got a little distracted?"

Charlie took the few steps back to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him quickly on the lips before moving to his ear and biting gently "don't worry, I'll be your only distraction later" she whispered before wrapping her arm around his back and tucking herself into his side as they walked back to Duncan's camp.

Sure, maybe it all seemed like a dream to him, but he would take it. Because if this was the kind of happiness his dreams were going to bring him, he never wanted to wake up.


End file.
